The Toronto Transit Commission unveiled its new subway cars on Thursday, a sleek new ride with an expanded interior and sleek exterior intended to launch the public transit service out of the past.
The cars were made available for inspection just months before the 234 new cars are scheduled to start appearing on tracks across the city.
The Toronto Rocket, as the new train is being called, features an expanded floor space and open design that allow for up to 10 per cent more riders.
Commuters who gathered at Downsview Station on Thursday gave the project mixed reviews. While many lauded the new cars for their sleek design and extra space, others questioned the need to spend so much money to replace the old ones.
"I think it is a waste of money. We already had trains that worked. This is just pretty," one woman told CTV News. "We have given them so much money and this is what they are showing us? A shiny new train?"
The whole program cost $700 million, a price tag that is shared by the three levels of government. Mayor David Miller has defended the price tag as an investment in Canadian jobs. Some of the work was done at Bombardier's plant in Thunder Bay.
The new cars are not just shinier, but also safer. Each car comes equipped with four security cameras.
But the key feature to the new cars is the open gangways that connect the entire train, allowing riders to walk from one end of the train to the other.
The gangways should reduce overcrowding on subway cars, as well as the need for commuters to congregate at one place on subway platforms.
The open design also makes the cars more accessible, especially for riders with disabilities.
Mayor David Miller has defended the purchase, saying it was an investment in Canadian jobs.
The 234 new subway cars, built by Canadian-based Bombardier, will be put into service over the next two years.
With a report from CTV Toronto's John Musselman
